"I'm not sure what's going on," Lewis said. "If he did do it then I feel it's justifiable, getting the sentence that he got."

Lanier's attorney, Cheryl Coleman, said her client is pursuing an appeal of the conviction.

In January, a jury took two days to convict Lanier after two eyewitnesses said they saw him pull a gun and shoot Reid.

Coleman challenged both witnesses' ability to identify Lanier, citing a citywide power outage that left the evening streets cloaked in darkness.

In addition to the testimony of two eyewitnesses, the trial was marked by Reid's account of the ambush that left him with three bullet wounds, one bullet remains in his leg to this day.

"We felt that the sentence was appropriate," Assistant District Attorney Michael Shanley said. "We didn't ask for a specific number, we trusted the court's judgment."

Citing his lack of any felony convictions in his criminal history, Ceresia's sentence of 20 years fell short of the maximum 25 years.

Lanier was convicted on five counts, including attempted second-degree murder, attempted first-degree assault, two counts of weapons possession and criminal use of a firearm.

Prosecutors gave no motive in the crime at trial, though law enforcement sources have said they believe Lanier was gunning for Reid's brother.

"We do think there's possibility that he had intended to shoot at another individual," Shanley said. "The proof showed that he intended to kill another person, that doesn't matter for the purposes of this case."

Though witnesses testified that Lanier and at least two other people were approaching Reid at the time of the shooting, Shanley said none of the proof showed that either of those people had a gun, or fired a gun or assisted in any way.